iOS What is best type of monetize simple app ?

[imp3rator]

Hello, I want to try a make simple but very useful counter app. I check competition and no one offer that type of app (or functions of app) which I want (maybe I missed that app, because there are so many). However I want to try because I want to learn code and making app.

I don't know wheter I use a right thread (forum) but, do you have a good examples of monetize apps ?

If I use a simple price for app 1 or 2 eur, people who wants free aps won't buy it. Or they will not be able to try app.
Free model with ads (Which company ads are you using ?)
Free model with in-app purchases
Subscription model
And at least paymium model but don't count with it (I think it will be very famous app which use it)

As I say - it will be simple counter app, but i can monetize some functions. Personally I don't like ads.
Someone who use ads - You can earn more from showing (or PPC) ads or from payment for removing ads ?

Or just tell me which option do you like the most.

Many thanks !

 

[casperes1996]

If you've never written an app before and have no programming experience... Don't worry about monetising anything yet. Make some sample projects.

But when it does come time to think about that, I personally prefer buying things outright. Subscription will lead me to alternatives.
Ads are fine, and with a pay once option to "get the full app" without ads is a good structure to catch both free users and those willing to pay. Just don't punch them in the face with the "You can pay to disable ads!" message. That will get even more annoying than seeing the ads. Let the user know once, then never again.
Also be wary of where your ads are placed. If the app has time sensitive operations, i.e. in an app like SoundHound where you want to find out what song's playing, it's no good to have a long, forced ad before it starts listening for what song is playing - the song may be over by the time the ad finishes. So either showing an ad while it would be listening, clearly letting the user know it's still listening for the song, or after presenting a result is better.

With a model of free with locked features, I would say that I don't like the model of "many small locked functions". So don't have a billion separate purchases for a billion small features. Have one purchase that unlocks everything.

But I'm not even sure what you mean by "a counter" app in the first place. Is it just like a plus 1 calculator to help you count things? That doesn't seem monetising friendly.
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Also be aware that as soon as you charge people for something, you're obligated to offer a quality product. People have spent money on it after all. So be sure your app is solid before implanting payments into it

 

[imp3rator]

I'm 100% agree with your statement.

"Is it just like a plus 1 calculator to help you count things? That doesn't seem monetising friendly."

Yes. Probably not many functions or options to monetize. Maybe price 1 eur and many downloads will be a goal. Or free and remove advertise for 1 euro. Or make most "satisfying" counter app I know that isn't revolutionary app. But I have idea to make counter better than others. However this is not my long-term life-goal but I want to use this idea to learn various skills. Only I just want to make app which I will be satisfied with.

I wonder when i search a simple app - try 20 apps and only 1 is good (and most time is the paid app and others are free)


Thanks for reply btw.

 

[casperes1996]

Yes. Probably not many functions or options to monetize. Maybe price 1 eur and many downloads will be a goal. Or free and remove advertise for 1 euro. Or make most "satisfying" counter app I know that isn't revolutionary app. But I have idea to make counter better than others. However this is not my long-term life-goal but I want to use this idea to learn various skills. Only I just want to make app which I will be satisfied with.

Honestly I think that concept is best served with an entirely free tool - I know for a fact that there are decent free options on the App Store, since long ago, I've had one. - And for honing your skills you don't need to monetise it. Getting downloads and feedback is worth more than $5. But I wish you all the best of luck regardless of what you decide to do with it, and if you need help when you get into the programming you can always just fire me a message

 

[imp3rator]

Many thanks for response If I will have some prototype i will contact you for review

 

[throAU]

Haha. I literally had this idea for a counter app a few years ago, never did anything with it (well, actually wrote one in objective C and then swift came about), and just knocked one out in swift last night in about an hour. add/subtract, select increment.

inspired by a friend who was doing her Phd and counting cell cultures.... by hand...

I think free / no more than a dollar, maybe optional payment (or pay to say, change colour scheme/theme or something). It's not exactly a long term project, but like you say, some people may find it useful.


My first attempt, lol

 

[imp3rator]

I tried several counter apps. And have idea of functions which no app has it. And maybe polish UI, because most of them are ugly. But yes, this is not breakthrough or maybe I think that make app for my needs would be a hit ?

 

[SylvainLafrance]

I doubt someone will pay upfront for a tiny app. I would put some admob ads with a in app purchase to remove the ads.

 

[firewood]

Simple apps without a large marketing budget or big social following are rarely worth monetizing. Any money you get off of such an app is rarely worth the time you might spend adding a monetization method (unless you are one of the 0.01% who somehow gets really really lucky).

And if your app is really simple but somehow rises in the download rankings, it will likely be cloned by a zillion other developers.

If your app happens to get enough downloads plus actual continued usage (determine this using Apple's analytics), then you might consider adding ads, and make some money by adding an in-app purchase to remove ads.

 

[imp3rator]

Many thanks for opinion.
Do you have a real experencie with that as a developer ?

 

[SylvainLafrance]

As far as I can say, nobody will pay 0.99$ for a small app. There are always tons of similar apps in the Apps Store. People install an app, delete it and move to another app until they find what they are looking for.

Crude realty

 

[firewood]

In my experience cheap & free apps don’t earn anything (unless you work for a big name company or win the lottery).

So maybe try to do the opposite.

Find something that’s hard to clone (patented maybe), and price the app really high.

 

[imp3rator]

In my experience cheap & free apps don’t earn anything

So why is there so many ? Why people make them ? They try to success ?

 

[firewood]

So why is there so many ? Why people make them ? They try to success ?

Why do poor people buy so many lottery tickets? They try to millionaire?

Or maybe it's charity (to the state's revenue)?

 

[Sean7512]

Yea, I don't see this being more than a free app, I have a "counting" app in the App Store but its main use case is for counting the amount of trick or treaters you get at your house so you know how much candy to buy the next year. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trick-or-treat-tracker/id1163552789 It is free and gets decent downloads, I have added a few interesting ideas like real-time sharing to "compete" with your friends' etc. The point is, there is probably not much of a paid market, if any, for this unless you have some secret sauce that you haven't told us.

 

[imp3rator]

Firewood : lol good parallel

Sean : Didn’t you implement ads ? Do you thinking about some monetization of app ? Or why did you create it ?

 

[Sean7512]

Firewood : lol good parallel

Sean : Didn’t you implement ads ? Do you thinking about some monetization of app ? Or why did you create it ?

I did not implement ads. I created it because it was something I wanted for myself and I didn't see any app for that particular use-case. To each their own, but if I was going to make an app for the purpose of revenue income, I would likely go a paid route. As a user myself, I hate ads in apps so much. I would much rather pay for no ads, although I also realize I am likely in the minority on that thought....